Trooper Charles B Patten Jr. and Sergeant Mark Shoaff with K9 Hero.

K9 Hero was imported from Germany, where he already held a Schutzhund I title, to Lake City, Florida. He paired with his handler in 1993 and together they worked for the next 6 years with three different felony partners in two different troops. During this time K9 Hero was directly responsible for the seizure of several million dollars in U. S. currency, including two separate seizures of over one million dollars each. He was also directly responsible for the seizure of over 100 kilograms of cocaine and pounds of marijuana. In one instance, he found cocaine in a van that had been under constant surveillance by U.S. and Canadian federal agents, but yet they were unable to find it when they stopped the vehicle.

K9 Hero was a goodwill ambassador for the Florida Highway Patrol, conducting many demonstrations at schools, churches, and police stations, and was a celebrity with two appearances on "Real Stories Of The Highway Patrol", yet no one will know how many times his huge frame and presence prevented a dangerous situation from erupting while his handler was on the side of the road with a subject. K9 Hero completed his service to the citizens of the State of Florida in 1999, when he was retired from service and passed away from health complications 2 years later.

K9s Memorial

Contraband Interdiction Program